Ten years on since release, rumours resurface
that the best-selling game GoldenEye 007 will be
made available for Xbox later this year...

GoldenEye 007 Coming To Xbox?9th January 2008

The prospect of GoldenEye 007 coming back to a console
first
surfaced in May last year, when rumours circulated
that the classic Nintendo 64 title- often dubbed 'the best
game of all time' - may appear on Nintendo's Virtual Console
and/or Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade.

When asked about the prospects last year, Rare said, "GoldenEye
is caught up in a convoluted web of rights the likes of
which would make the Weaver from Perdido Street Station
jealous. That doesn't mean it won't happen, just that a
lot of people with a lot of different perspectives are
involved."

News breaks today that the rights issues
may be clearing up. According to very reliable sources, and
seeing evidence
themselves, Xbox
Evolved believes that Microsoft, Rareware,
MGM Studios and Activision (who now hold the license for
James Bond 007 titles) have come to an agreement to bring
the Rareware developed Goldeneye 007 out to Xbox Live Arcade
shortly before the new game developed by Activision is released
later this year.

Above: Original artwork for the blockbuster game that was
released over 10 years ago.

The title will reportedly feature updated graphics, and of course
an all-new Xbox Live multiplayer.

For England, James
The news is in conflict with a statement made
by US magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly, which recently claimed
"Microsoft cancelled an Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade
release of Goldeneye 007 at the last minute."

Last month, an anonymous forum
poster claiming
to be a Rare
employee disclosed
features of the GoldenEye 007 "10th Anniversary" edition that
was to be be released for XBLA, including:

Flawless recreation of the original gameplay. Uses the original
code - just running on Xbox 360

Rock solid 60 frames a second

All new high def graphics with the option to switch back
to the original N64 graphics any time

4-way online splitscreen multiplayer - see what the other
3 players can see, even over Xbox Live

New multiplayer maps - play on the single player Dam, Depot
or Frigate levels.

Above: A 'leaked' screenshot from
the "10th Anniversary" edition of Goldeneye 007 on Xbox
360

The source claimed that the 10th Anniversary
edition was cancelled because because Nintendo
put pressure
on Activision for it not to appear on their rival's platform.
According to reports, Nintendo’s
CEO Satoru Iwata said, "Goldeneye is a Nintendo product
and should only be on a Nintendo platform" - ensuring the title
would not appear on any console except their own. The development
team at Microsoft was reportedly disbanded. If the title
is not published for Xbox 360, it is unlikely to appear on Nintendo
Wii either.

A Golden Legacy
It was over ten years ago - back in August 1997 - that Rareware
set the gaming world alight with the release of "GoldenEye
007" for the Nintendo 64. After selling over eight million
copies, it is still the yardstick by which
all 007 games are measured.